Share your tales of going the extra mile for your DC with Mini Milk - you could win a £300 John Lewis voucher NOW CLOSED

[AngelieMumsnet]

At Mini Milk HQ they have been busy reformulating Mini Milk - meaning Mini Milk is a fun treat parents can say yes to! They say "small but perfectly formed, the Mini Milk is a firm favourite within the Wall's range of ice creams. With a choice of three delicious flavours -Vanilla, Strawberry and Chocolate - it's a perfect tasty treat you can feel confident giving to your kids this summer"

They'd love to now hear what you have done to go the extra mile for your kids out of sheer love, to put a smile on their face or - let's face it, to demonstrate your Mother-Superior (or Father-Superior) - parenting skills to the teacher/ other parents . Or even what you let slide so that your DC are happy.

For example: Have you ever found yourself working on a World Book Day costume in the wee small hours of the morning? Or spent days tracking down a toy or piece of clothing you know your child will really, really love? Maybe you've gone slightly OTT on your child's most recent project, or found yourself booking days out just so the class bear can give a good account of his time spent with your family. Have you allowed 'treats' just to make them happy?

If you've gone the extra mile, dug especially deep to pull something amazing out of the bag to be show your self as a great parent, or let your normal standards slip just to make them happy, we want your stories here!

Add your comment to this thread and you'll be entered into a prize draw where on MNer will win a £300 John Lewis voucher.

Please note Mini Milk / Mumsnet may use your comments - anon of course - on their pages on MN, on social media or possibly elsewhere - please only post if you're happy with this. Standard Insight T&Cs apply.

Thanks and good luck
MNHQ

My son has various allergies and gets upset at Christmas when he can not have a chocolate advent calendar like everyone else. This year I spent a near fortune on Ebay sourcing various small packets (freebies mostly from newspapers) of Lego so that he would have a treat every morning. Seeing his face every morning made it all worth while.

My DH, unwittingly left Tessa-Bear, our DD's favourite bear from birth, with his mother, in Florida, when we were on holiday there. After nights of crying, days of chest-beating and recriminations, our niece, who worked for an airline at the time, managed to arrange a flight back to Florida, so DH could retrieve Tessa-Bear, who was put into DD's bed next to her sleeping, plump little body, for her to awaken with the bear safely ensconced next to her! So all in all, a family effort really! ;)

Spent 2 days making a sock monkey for my little boy. Hid coins at the beach so my little boy could find treasure. So many things I could say but I'm sure all us mums do similar, love is powerful!

Letting them help me make dinner, even though it would be quicker and easier on my own. I love seeing their enjoyment in cooking.

Agreeing to let DD watch Christmas films in the middle of Summer is something I never imagined doing, but have. I'll be happy if I never have to watch the Snowman ever again!

I once had a 6 hour round trip to drive to a holiday park so i could pick up his little teddy that we had left.

I started taking my son aged 5 to theatre school and whilst he loves it, he didn't want me to leave so each Saturday I stayed. After a few weeks, I was asked to "help out" as I was there anyway and I've since become one of the teachers there! He's very proud his mummy is one of the grown ups teaching singing and I love it, despite losing my one and only lie-in of the week!

When my boy was an 8 month old baby who was used to cosleeping, he had to stay overnight in hospital and couldn't settle, so in the end I climbed in his cot with him to cuddle him to sleep!

Searching everywhere online to find a matching spot the dog teddy as I had as a baby, was so proud when I found one, only to have my dog pinch it & take an ear off & then quickly having to sew the ear back on before the little one noticed!!

At Paradise park my son threw over his beloved ball into the tiger enclosure when he was 18 months. He was crying historically after losing his beloved ball. I spoke to several zoo keepers about it, one who bravely went into the enclosure to retrieve the ball.

I went without everything bar one meal a day to afford to pay the very reduced fees to a private school as a lone parent on a low wage because my sn dd was having a complete breakdown in state and no one would help. I also worked from 12 lunch (leaving at 10am and didn't arrive back till 1am (luckily my Mum let her sleep over) bed at 2am then up at 6am to collect her for school. I worked six days a week.

We went through the adoption process (it took 2 and a half years) before we met our son. he has developmental delay due to being so premature and other reasons I cant go into. We make sure he gets all the support he needs both from his school and as parents. We fought to legally adopt him as this was opposed and there were lots of delays but we got there in the end. He will continue to have problems as he gets older but we will always be there to support and help him any way we can.

You name it and I've done it. Outlandish requests for hand made costumes for book days, cakes for the school fair, giant birthday cakes, all catered for in this house. This summer it's glitter tattoos for everyone and lots of fun planned, not to mention way too many ice-lollies. When you have 2 boys as cute as Noah and Joe though, it's never too much trouble really.

Last August I stayed up until 2am making tulle headpieces for DD and DSD to wear to Notting Hill Carnival. I had no idea what I was doing, just a vision, lots of dayglo tulle, an old pair of my stockings and needle and thread. DSD declared it "fabulous" and wore it all day which made me so happy. It is harder with the children that aren't your own, to truly make their day.

Playing Lego- I hated it as a child.
Learning the names of various types of diggers and tractors.
Realising that once you get past the initial dullness it can get interesting (well a bit).

Going round five opticians shops before finding DC the perfect glasses.

I wanted to surprise him for his birthday so he stayed over night at his nans and through the night I transformed his bedroom, painted all four walls, changed the lightshade, lay out his new rug and added some flat pack storage!! My mum could only have him from 6pm onwards as she was working so I stayed up until 4.30am. When he came back at 8am the next morning though it was completely worth it to see the smile on his face.

2 days before Christmas my DD asked for a specific book. Not wanting to disappoint her I spent the next 7 hrs battling the crowds to look for it everywhere but to no avail. I ended up paying a fortune for a next day courier.....I just couldn't stand the thought of her being disappointed for Christmas Day

I'm pretty impressed by Viking Lady's comment but don't we all go the extra mile continually? Isn't that what being a parent is all about?

I put my daughters coat in the tumble dryer for five minuets just before we leave the house on cold days.

I cook from scratch most days, and once went to ridiculous lengths to make my own tomato ketchup. Never again -what a faff, and she didn't enjoy it as much as Heinz!

I think I go the extra mile every day but on his last birthday he wanted to go to Thomas Land at Drayon Manor. I emailed them in advance and asked if the fat controller could ask for my son by name and wish him happy birthday. He did and my son was amazed that he knew his name! Plus he got a signed book too!

I think I try and do lots of little things all of the time.
Once I made a glittery bow hair accessory, it was totally not my style, but it was dd's and she loved it.
I've also trawled eBay for hours trying to find a Ben and holly toy for Christmas I knew she would love that you couldn't buy in the shops any more. That turned out to be her favourite present that Christmas :)

Mine is insignificant when it comes to the medical type answers posted on here but its the first thing that came into my head! When my daughters class were doing a Roman Project the huge Roman soldier drawing they had was ruined while mounting it on display boards. I stayed up drawing and colouring a new one for the assembly on it the next morning. It was about 5 feet tall and took me till about 3.30am. I never want to see a brown or yellow felt tip again!

Walking for miles in the rain retracing our steps earlier that day to find a much loved dropped teddy.

I have helped them to maximise their physical potential with PE coaching and extra lessons